Automatic emergency landing gear extension system

Abstract

Systems and methods for automatically controlling landing gear responsive to detected aerial vehicle conditions. A system can receive, from one or more sensors of the aerial vehicle, altitude information and speed information of the aerial vehicle. The system can determine to lower landing gear of the aerial vehicle based on a change in a state of the aerial vehicle, and identify a condition corresponding to a type of the aerial vehicle and the state of the aerial vehicle. The system can compare the speed information and the altitude information to the condition to determine that a condition to lower landing gear is satisfied. Responsive to determining that the condition to lower the landing gear is satisfied, the system can provide a signal to lower the landing gear.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for automatically controlling landing gear responsive to detected aerial vehicle conditions, comprising:
 receiving, by one or more processors coupled to memory of an aerial vehicle, from one or more sensors of the aerial vehicle, altitude information and speed information of the aerial vehicle; 
 determining, by the one or more processors, to extend landing gear of the aerial vehicle based on a change in a state of the aerial vehicle; 
 identifying, by the one or more processors, a curve that varies as a function of altitude and speed of the aerial vehicle in a multivariate space and is established according to a type of the aerial vehicle and the state of the aerial vehicle, wherein the curve defines a first region in the multivariate space that indicates landing gear is to be lowered and a second region in the multivariate space that indicates landing gear is not to be lowered; 
 determining, by the one or more processors, that the speed information and the altitude information are within the first region of the multivariate space defined by the curve to determine that a condition to lower the landing gear is satisfied; and 
 responsive to determining that the condition to lower the landing gear is satisfied, providing, by the one or more processors, a signal to lower the landing gear. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , comprising instructing, by the one or more processors responsive to the signal, a landing gear component of the aerial vehicle to lower the landing gear of the aerial vehicle. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 identifying, by the one or more processors, an amount of time required to lower the landing gear of the aerial vehicle; and 
 identifying, by the one or more processors, the curve based on the amount of time. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , comprising triggering, by the one or more processors, release of a gas stored in a container to lower the landing gear of the aerial vehicle to reduce an amount of time to lower the landing gear. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing, by the one or more processors responsive to the signal, a notification for presentation via an output device of the aerial vehicle that includes the signal to lower the landing gear. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the multivariate space is defined according to a plurality of variables, each of the plurality of variables associated with a respective weight value; and
 wherein determining that the speed information and the altitude information are within the first region of the multivariate space comprises comparing, by the one or more processors, each of the speed information and the altitude information based on the respective weight value associated with a respective variable of the plurality of variables. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , further comprising adjusting, by the one or more processors, the respective weight value associated with at least one variable of the plurality of variables based on the state of the aerial vehicle. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the change in the state is one or more of an engine failure, a rate of descent exceeding a threshold descent, damage to the aerial vehicle, or a system failure. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein detecting the change in the state of the aerial vehicle is responsive to receiving an indication of the change in the state from one or more second sensors of the aerial vehicle. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the one or more processors, an input from an interface of the aerial vehicle that indicates a command to lower the landing gear; and 
 providing, by the one or more processors, the signal that indicates the landing gear should be lowered. 
 
     
     
       11. A system for automatically controlling landing gear responsive to detected aerial vehicle conditions, comprising:
 one or more processors coupled to memory of an aerial vehicle, configured to:
 receive, from one or more sensors of the aerial vehicle, altitude information and speed information of the aerial vehicle; 
 determine to extend landing gear of the aerial vehicle based on a change in a state of the aerial vehicle; 
 identify a curve that varies as a function of altitude and speed of the aerial vehicle in a multivariate space and is established according to a type of the aerial vehicle and the state of the aerial vehicle, wherein the curve defines a first region in the multivariate space that indicates landing gear is to be lowered and a second region in the multivariate space that indicates landing gear is not to be lowered; 
 determine that the speed information and the altitude information are within the first region of the multivariate space defined by the curve to determine that a condition to lower the landing gear is satisfied; and 
 responsive to determining that the condition to lower the landing gear is satisfied, provide a signal to lower the landing gear. 
 
 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to instruct, responsive to the signal, a landing gear component of the aerial vehicle to lower the landing gear of the aerial vehicle. 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
 identify an amount of time required to lower the landing gear of the aerial vehicle; and 
 identify the curve based on the amount of time. 
 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to trigger release of a gas stored in a container to lower the landing gear of the aerial vehicle to reduce an amount of time to lower the landing gear. 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to provide, responsive to the signal, a notification for presentation via an output device of the aerial vehicle that includes the signal to lower the landing gear. 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the multivariate space is defined according to a plurality of variables, each of the plurality of variables associated with a respective weight value; and
 wherein to determine that the speed information and the altitude information are within the first region of the multivariate space, the one or more processors are further configured to compare each of the speed information and the altitude information based on the respective weight value associated with a respective variable of the plurality of variables. 
 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 16 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to adjust the respective weight value associated with at least one variable of the plurality of variables based on the state of the aerial vehicle. 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the change in the state is one or more of an engine failure, a rate of descent exceeding a threshold, damage to the aerial vehicle, or a system failure. 
     
     
       19. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to detect the change in the state of the aerial vehicle responsive to receiving an indication of the change in the state from one or more second sensors of the aerial vehicle. 
     
     
       20. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
 receive an input from an interface of the aerial vehicle that indicates a command to lower the landing gear; and 
 provide the signal that indicates the landing gear should be lowered.